Iwaobetsu Onsen

Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩尾別温泉) is a hot spring place at about 215 m above sea level in Shari town located in the north side of Shiretoko peninsula (知床半島), and is famous as one of secret hot springs in Shiretoko National Park, and is near Kamuiwakka Hot Falls (カムイワッカ湯の滝) and Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖), and have famous natural open-air baths, Sandan-no-Yu (三段の湯) and Takimi-no-Yu (滝の湯). Only Hotel Chinohate (ホテル地の涯) and Kihoshita Hut (木下小屋) are built at the end of Hokkaido Road 93, and are used as hiker bases for Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳). Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. They close a business in a winter season because the Hokkaido Road 93 is closed to traffic.

Restroom near Hotel Chinohate

Movie of Mt. Rausudake Hiking

Iwaobetsu means "sulfur river" in Ainu language, and onsen was known by Ainu people from a long time ago. An onsen hut was built in Taisho period, and up to now. The Iwaobetsu Onsen is surrounded by virgin forests, so a lot of bears inhabit there. Bewear of them.

Shiretoko Goko Lakes

Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖) is a collective name of 5 lakes in Shari town, Shiretoko Peninsula. The 5 lakes, Lake Ichiko (一湖), Lake Niko (二湖), Lake Sanko (三湖), Lake Yonko (四湖) and Lake Goko (五湖) are in marsh at about 240 m above sea level, and are popular as a tourist attraction in hidden region. About 320,000 tourists visit here. Walks, observation decks, hiretoko Goko Lakes Field House (知床五湖フィールドハウス), Park Service Center (パークサービスセンター) and a parking lot are built on the site. Souvenirs and light meals are sold at the Park Service Center, too, and Lingonberry flavor soft serve ice cream has a good reputation. In addition, a restroom is at the building, too. The walks are available from late April to early November. In a winter, a snowshoe tour is held. Admission free. The parking lot is charged for JPY 500. Article is hereGuide Map of Shiretoko Goko Lakes

Lake Ichiko and Lakeside Observation Deck

Kamuiwakka Hot Falls

Kamuiwakka Hot Falls (カムイワッカ湯の滝) is a small collective waterfall with warm springs in Shari town, Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島), and is famous for enjoying bathing in basins like natural open-air baths, few rare falls in Japan. The Kamuiwakka means "God's Water" in Ainu language. Kamuiwakka River (カムイワッカ川), about 3 km lengh in total, flows from the bottom of Mt. Iou to the Sea of Okhotsk, and hot springs runs downward to the river. Kamuiwakka Falld (カムイワッカの滝) that can be seen only from the sea side is in the downstream, and a powerful dropping is popular, too. A road for the Kamuiwakka Hot Falls is opened to traffic from June to October. At the peak tourist season, ordinary owned cars have entrance regulation, and a shuttle bus runs from August 1 to August 25. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. The road is close to traffic from November to May. In addition, the road is close to traffic at 4 pm after 31 July. Beware of bears, too. Article is here

Ichi-no-Taki

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園) at the northeastern edge of Japan main land is a national park between Shari town and Rausu town in the the northeastern part of Hokkaido. Most northern part of Shiretoko Peninsula has been desinged as the national park since 1964, and has also been designed World Natural Heritage Site, one of only 4 world natural heritage sites in Japan, since 2005. In the national park, there are Shiretoko Mountain Range (知床連山) such as Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳), Mt. Chinishibetsudake (知西別岳), Mt. Iou (硫黄山) and Mt. Shiretokodake (知床岳), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing some hot spring places such as Aidomari Onsen (相泊温泉), Seseki Onsen (瀬石温泉), Rausu Onsen (羅臼温泉) and Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩尾別温泉). The Shiretoko National Park is roughly divided into 2 areas, Shari Area and Rausu Area. The area is about 39,000 ha in total. A deep forest that wild animals such as Brown Bears, Yezo Deers and Blakiston's Hish-owls inhabit, Steep cliffs with about 100 m in height that separet the sea from mountains, the sea that marine life such as Salmons and Whales swim in, and those closely related to each other create great nature views. Because the Shiretoko means "The end of the earth" in Ainu language, I can understand the reason that it is said to be an unexplored region. Article is here

Shiretoko Crossing Road

List of Day Trip Onsen

Visitors can take a day trip bath at the Sandan-no-Yu, the Takimi-no-Yu, the Hotel Chinohate and the Kinoshita Hut.

Sandan-no-Yu and Takimi-no-Yu

There are mixed bathing open-air baths, Sandan-no-Yu and Takimi-no-Yu, near a parking lot of the Hotel Chinohate. It takes about a minute on foot. Those are famous for free natural open-air bath, and a lot of tourists come in a summer. * As of July, 2018, the Sandan-no-Yu does not fill with hot springs. But the Takimi-no-Yu is filled with the hot springs, so visitors can take a bath.

Sandan-no-Yu from TopSandan-no-Yu in July, 2018Sandan-no-Yu in July, 2018Sandan-no-Yu in July, 2018Takimi-no-Yu in July, 2018Takimi-no-Yu in July, 2018

Sandan-no-Yu means "Onsen has three parts" in Japanese, and as the name suggests, the onsen is individed into 3 open-air baths surrounded by rocks, the upper open-air bath, the middle open-air bath and the lower open-air bath. The upper open-air bath is the size that about 3 people can take a bath, and the others are the size that about 2 people can take bath. Hot springs flow from the upper open-air bath to the lower open-air bath, and 3 types of water temperature, hot springs, bathing for suitable water temperature and lukewarm spring can be enjoyed. Light blue hot springs are very beautiful.

Middle Open-air BathLower Open-air BathSandan-no-Yu from BottomRight Is Takimi-no-Yu. Left Is Falls

Takimi-no-Yu is located along a path from the Sandan-no-Taki to a waterfall, and it is surrounded by rocks for a blindfold fence. The Takimi-no-Yu means "Bathing while seeing the waterfall" in Japanese, and is the size that about 1 person can take a bath. Except the waterfall, a deer or a bear may be seen. If the bear appears, I not only run away. In addition, it was said that the Takimi-no-Yu was bathing only for women in the old days, but I do not know now. There are the Sandan-no-Yu and the Takimi-no-Yu along Iwaobetsu River, so a sense of openness is very good. But there are no blind fence and a dressing room. You may feel slightly embarrass. The bathers can take a bath in wearing swimsuits or with a bath towel covering body.

Fairly SmallTakimi-no-YuFalls

Atmosphere of Sandan-no-Yu and Takimi-no-Yu Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Sandan-no-Yu and Takimi-no-Yu

Hotel Chinohate

Hotel Chinohate is a small-sized long-established onsen ryokan founded in 1963 in a primeval forest of Shiretoko Penunsula. A building was renewed in 1990. A lot of hikers use it as a hiking base for Mt. Rausudake. An entrance fee to a bath facility is JPY 800. A restraunt and a shop are at the building, too, and visitors for day trip bath can use the restraunt. A staying is possible, too. They close a business from December to April.

Appearance of BuildingEntrance of Bathhouse

There are 4 mixed bathing open-air baths and 2 gender segregated indoor baths at a large public bathhouse. The bathhouse is not large, but the sunny bathhouse is feeling good. The baths is set along L-shaped, and the small indoor bath is the size that about 2 people can take a bath, and hot sprigs are lukewarm. The large indoor bath is the size that about 8 people can take a bath, and the hot springs are hoter than another one. The hot springs are poured into the large indoor bath, and the hot springs overflow from the bathtub. I have a luxurious feeling. The baths use 100% natural free flowing hot springs with adding water. By the way, the hot springs are used as hot water of faucets and showers at wash places.

BathhouseHot Springs Are Gushing Out from RocksView from Indoor Bath

What I should mention specially is the mixed bathing open-air baths. Especially, Japanese garden-style open-air baths are amazing. Outside is mixed bathing zone. There are 2 wood-shaped open-air baths and 2 Japanese garden-style open-air baths. The wood-shaped open-air baths seat 1 person for sleeping. Bathers can enjoy overflowing hot springs.

Tree Shaped Bathtub

The Japanese garden-style open-air baths surrounded by rocks are like a pond at the Japanese garden. The Japanese garden-style open-air baths are divided into upper open-air bath and lower open-air bath, and water temperature is different. Each depth is about 1 m. The lower open-air bath is the size that about 20 people can take a bath, and at the down stream of the lower open-air bath, the hot spring ingredients turn into sand, and those float on the surface of the hot springs. It was sandy touch when I touched those. The power of nature is marvelous.

The upper open-air bath is the size that about 5 people can take a bath, and a view is good. Strange rocks made from the hot spring ingredients have good shape. The bathers can enjoy touching and looking at the bathtub. A sense of openness can be felt, and the bathers can forget daily life at the Japanese garden-style open-air baths. It is really comfortable. The bathers can take a bath in wearing swimsuits or with a bath towel covering body, but a lot of Japanese men take a bath withhout wearing anything.

The hot springs are sodium and calcium chloride carbonated spring, and are clear and colorless and have neither taste nor smell. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 2.184 g/kg. Because they does not get a permission of the public health center, the hot springs are not drinkable. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom, a cold water dispenser and free hair dryers are installed at a dressing room.

Kinoshita Hut

Kinoshita Hut near a mountaintrail of Mt. Rausudake is a mountain hut along a tributary of Iwaobetsu River in the back side of the Hotel Chinohate. The appearance of log house looks cool, and the interior decoration has the warmth of the wood, too. An entrance fee to a bath facility is JPY 300. A staying is possible, too, beauce of an accommodation for the hikers. A stay overnight without meals is JPY 2500. They open a business from mid June to late September.

Appearance of Building and Public RestroomCorridorRoom

Baths and a dressing space are at the out of the building. If it rains, I suppose that bathers may feel unpleasant. But they will feel comfortable if the weather is fine. There are 3 open-air baths there. One is a semi-open-air bath for most women, and others are open-air bath like a pond. The bath space is surrounded by a cliff and trees, and the bathers are not concerned about other people's eyes. But they may concerned about wild animal's eyes. A shower is not provided, so you should rinse off sweat and dirt with the wash bowl before taking a bath.

Dressing SpaceOpen-air BathsSemi-open-air Bath

The open-air bath located in the center is the size that about 2 people can take a bath, and is a rectangle bath surrounded by rocks. Water temperature of a hot spring source is about 50 C, and the hot springs from a pipe is not too hot, so I think that those are 100 % natural free flowing hot springs. The fresh hot springs always flow from the bath to a water outlet, and I like watching that.

Hot Springs Gush outHot Springs Flow to Water Outlet

The open-air bath located in the right end is the size that about 2 people can take a bath, and is a round bath surrounded by rocks. The water temperature of the hot spring source is about 50 C, too, and the hot springs from a pipe is not too hot, so I think that those are 100 % natural free flowing hot springs, too. Although I visited here in late July, I was glad not to be obstructed by a horsefly and a hornet. I sometimes took a break, and enjoyed bathing. Butt-naked was felt a sense of freedom.

A small hut located in the left end is surronded by logs, and a wooden bath only for one person is at the semi-open-air bath. A hut manager said "Most women take a bath at the bath. But men can take a bath". The hot springs are the same as other baths.

Entrance to Semi-open-air BathWash PlaceSemi-roofCliff

Because the open-air baths are in nature, dead bugs and leaves are floated on the seurface of the hot springs, and it is not suitable for clean lovers. But it is suitable for nature lovers, and I think that they will favorite a sense of openness. A few bathers come in the daytime, so I think that there is a high possibility only one bather will take a bath.

Wash Basin and Bath StoolOpen-air Bath

The hot springs are sodium and calcium chloride carbonated spring, and are clear and colorless and have slightly sour taste and no smell. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 2.697 g/kg. Because they does not get a permission of the public health center, the hot springs are not drinkable. Shampoos and body soaps are not provided at the bath space, so you should bring those. There is not a restroom at the dressing space, so you should get a wash beforehand at the restroom near the trailhead.

[Nature, Onsen and Tasty Foods] Good!Hokkiado!, I Introduce sightseeing spots such as Nature, Hot Springs and Tasty Foods in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is located in the far east of the world. A lot of attractive things such as tasty foods, hot springs and nature are filled. I want everybody to know those by all means and introduce about Hokkaido to you without everybody's permission. Please visit the Hokkaido if you are interested in the Hokkaido, and you experience the charms, please be impressed! I am studying English now. I am sorry if my English sentences are incorrect.